May 25, 2012
Topics A-Z Headaches Severe headaches and balance problems
Severe headaches and balance problems |
|
Dear Ask The Doctor: I am a 44 year old male who suffers from severe headaches on a daily basis. My balance and coordination are extremly bad at times. I have seen a neurologist today and he informed me that there are no masses showing in my MRI and that I need to change my diet and quit smoking.He has taken me off of all medications I was previously on. What are these symptoms a sign of. He has informed me that my cerebellum has shrunk. Dear Edward: Headaches can be divided into 2 broad categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Primary headaches are not caused by problems with a person's internal structure or organs or by bacteria, viruses or other organisms. Migraine, cluster, tension, and rebound headaches are types of primary headache. Secondary headaches are those caused by an underlying structural or organic disease and can be asoociated with the other symptoms that you described as balance problems. Several observations support this idea. When exposed to very high or low temperatures, people sometimes develop a ‘migraine like ‘headache. (Migraine headaches are sometimes called vascular headaches. Vascular means having to do with the blood vessels.) These headaches can also suddenly arise in some people when they do not get enough sleep or food. Common triggers of migraine headaches include heat, stress, and lack of sleep or food. Not every headache sufferer is sensitive to these triggers, but virtually all persons with migraine headaches (called migraineurs) have some environmental trigger. About 70% of migraineurs have a first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister, or child) with a history of migraine. I recommend you to review all these factors and make the pertinent changes in your daily routine and see if your symptoms improve. |
|
| Last Updated ( Monday, 20 September 2010 ) |
|
|
|
|
